Dave Whelan has told Aston Villa to pay his £10million asking price for Charles N’Zogbia or the deal is off.

The Wigan owner claims Villa’s £9m offer is unacceptable, even though the winger has less than 12 months left on his Latics contract and has refused to sign a new one.

“It’s £10m or there is no deal,” said Whelan. “They offered us £9m and we refused it; firstly because we would like to keep Charles, and secondly because if he is to go, then we have to get the right price for him.

“Charles has played fantastically well in the last year and, with his pace and penetration, there’s no doubt in my mind that he is the finest left-winger in the Premier League.

“We owe him a lot, not least for his goal against West Ham that helped us stay up.

"If the right offer comes in, we would consider it, if it was in his best interests - but it has to be the right offer.”